Little Mary Ellen
In the early 1940’s, I had two younger brothers, Denny Jr. and the baby Tommy. I was hoping for a little sister every time I heard anything about a new baby especially for our family. Each time that a baby was on its way to our house, I was our sourced with strangers for a couple of weeks. It seem to be the healthy way for a new mother to spend at least two or more weeks in the hospital, for the delivery process with a whole staying in the bed, completely being waited on hand and foot. Then, if the first time mother was strong enough the second week she was helped up and to a shower, and to partake in classes in the hospital to learn how to feed the baby, bath the baby, dress and care for the baby. You name it and you were learning how to do things correctly for a new born baby!
In those days, it must have been thought a mother needs some time to get used to the idea of a baby with needs that are time consuming, and still all the other tasks of running a home need to continue to be taken care of. The father/husband still needs to be #1 in the daily taking care of, because if he can’t get to work as per the usual routine, you and baby will not be able to stay home? Somebody has to get out and work… for “the bacon!”
Of course, in large families as in days gone by, you just might be lucky and have an “in-law” live in to help you with daily chores until you are strong and able. Since my mother was the (13th) and last child in her family, she did have her mother (my grandma) living with us and I guess some help?
Anyway, when my brother Denny Jr. was to be born, I needed to stay somewhere and who would that be? Grandma Brady was really too old to take care of me for a couple of weeks, as I was not yet eighteen months, and so old “Doc Cooper” who was our land-lord and good friend of the family, was suppose to be the best place for me – I would get such excellent care? Those were very cold months, Denny Jr. was born in the latter half of January, and of course the furnace is running full blast to keep the house warm. These houses had floor ventilators with a 12×18 inch waffle grate design for the heat to come into the rooms and were very hot. Naturally, they left me play near one and I sat on one or maybe even fell on, but I did end up with a burnt thigh. I was never left to stay with them again, because even “Doctors” do not have totally safe houses for small children. I heard that so often, in years later, that my mother was so sorry for any damage that may have be done to me.
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